Tebogo Molatudi

	What impact has Career Services had in your life? Workshops: Career Services has played a huge role in my professional and student life development in many ways, especially regarding personal branding and social. Firstly, it provided essential guidance on how to build my professional brand as a student and as an individual. It taught me the importance of social media ethics and conduct, that I must always be cognisant of what I post on social media. That as a student of the University of the Free State, I have a responsibility to carry the values and principles of the institution with great decorum everywhere I go. At the time, I thought to myself that I was being policed and silenced because I wanted to express and share my opinion. Little did I know I was being prepared to be launched into the world. When a spaceship is prepared, it goes through stages of preparation so that when the time is right for it to be launched it is ready for the mission – and that is how Career Services has impacted my life. I was being prepared for the world, and I am glad that I had a teachable spirit in me and was willing to listen and learn. I am even prouder that my first job was at Career Services. Leadership Skills: Volunteering at Career Services has contributed immensely to my leadership skills. Through Career Services, I learned that being a leader has nothing to do with titles, but more with how to support your team to reach your goal as a team. I learned this by watching or observing how my line manager was leading us (Belinda never wanted us to refer to her as our boss, but rather as a line manager, lol). I don’t think I would have turned out to be the person that I am today if it wasn’t for the opportunities that I was given at Career Services. Starting from the beginning taught me to appreciate and value small beginnings – starting as a volunteer built my character to the person I am today, and I still live by those teachings and lessons. Some skills are not taught in a classroom; therefore, it becomes your responsibility to upskill yourself, and that is what Career Service was for me: a centre that gave me an opportunity to learn, fail, make mistakes, develop, and grow. The top five essential skills I learned are self-awareness, compassion, vision, integrity, and resilience.
Will you recommend Career Services to other students? Why? Absolutely!!!! I would recommend Career Services to students any day, any time. Career Services is a bridge connecting students and lecturers with companies. I say it is a bridge because Career Service is on the front lines when it comes to job trends and market demand, and it is in a much better position to advise and prepare students for the world of work. Also, if you know that you have certain skills that you would like to develop, avail yourself to be a career ambassador or volunteer and start upskilling yourself. Having a solid foundation in terms of acquiring certain skills will definitely work in your favour, both during recruitment and in the workplace. Remember that career development is your responsibility.
What is your current occupation or job? I am currently working as an accountant for the Louis Dreyfus Company. I am in the commodity trading industry.
What do you wish you had done at university that would have better prepared you for your current role? I wish I had done more networking and research about the different career paths available to me within my industry so that I could plan. I would have studied BCom Agricultural Economics if I had known back then that with the same qualification, for example, working for a commodity trading company (SAFEX was one of the topics we touched on), I would find myself being an accountant. For me to grow and specialise, I need to obtain professional accreditation.
What top three tips do you have for students and graduates entering job hunting season now? Keep your CV and cover letter updated and tailor-made for each job application. Have your company hit list. Remember, a job rejection is a redirection to the right door. Don’t be too hard on yourself, give yourself some grace!

Katlego Moloi

	What impact has Career Services had in your life? Getting to be a part of Career Services positively impacted my student life in really great ways. For one, it was some extra money to spend, but it also turned a lot of the stuff in my head into practical experience. I think growing up, we all hear stories about working in an office and dealing with colleagues and superiors. But getting practical experience in the things you put on your résumé, such as problem solving, dealing with conflict, time management, communication styles and everything else is just invaluable. I have genuinely grown a ton in many capacities..
Will you recommend Career Services to other students? Why? I would highly recommend it. It is definitely a great place to work, it is not too demanding, but it is also challenging enough that you do not feel like you are wasting time or getting bored. The office culture is also really cool, and from my experience, really wholesome on both campuses.
What is your current occupation or job? For the next 12 months I will be completing a learnership for a mining supply chain system company doing weighbridge automation software and other things in the supply chain. We are being trained by a certification academy and will end up with a bunch of really cool vendor-approved certifications.
What do you wish you had done at university that would have assisted you more in your job today? Probably just studying properly instead of cramming, because some of the curriculum is actually coming back up now.
What top three tips do you have for students and graduates entering job hunting season now? Set aside certain hours of the day for applications so that it becomes a routine instead of getting burnt out doing a bunch in one day. Make use of Career Services even after graduating to get your application documents reviewed or for any other tips and tricks. Keep track of your applications on an Excel sheet or something to save time and also see patterns in the jobs you might be better suited for and where you might need to improve your skills or qualifications. And just keep your head up, don't be discouraged.